Archive for Декабрь, 2009
Audi closer to Mercedes and BMW in new-car sales
Декабрь 27th, 2009 | 
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Audi was also able to halve the distance between it and premium-car sales leader BMW brand. BMW may have led Audi by 184,294 units a year ago but last month the gap had narrowed to 93,112. Despite Audi’s gains, which are supported by increasing sales in China, it is still in third place in global sales. Continued after the jump!
In November, BMW brand sold 90,383 units, an 11.1% increase compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ volume rose 19.1% to 88,600 units and Audi posted an 8.9% rise to 82,750. Audi, which is the top-selling premium brand in China, had its volume last month increased 101.9% to 16,503 cars.
From January to November, Audi has sold a company-record 139,872 cars in China, a 28.6% increase. BMW credits its November sales increase on strong demand for its Z4 roadster and 7 series upper-premium car. Z4’s November sales were up 149.3 percent to 1,760 compared with November 2008.
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First Look: 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder
From the first day Lamborghini announced its new and improved Gallardo LP560-4, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it was only a question of time until the Gallardo Spyder received the same treatment.
That time has come. Now entering into the (Raging Bull) ring is the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder, which is making its world debut at the 2008 Los Angeles auto show.
Like the coupe, the LP560-4 Spyder loses 44 lb and gets 200 cc added to its V-10 engine — a new, 5.2L aluminum unit with 552 hp, 398 lb-ft on tap. Mated to the updated engine is Lambo’s reprogrammed e.gear six-speed transmission that Lamborghini claims shifts 40% faster in the sportiest “corsa” mode. The improvements led to a claimed 0-to-62-mph time of 4.0 sec and a top speed of 201 mph for the LP560-4 Spyder according to the automaker. At the same time, Lamborghini points out that both fuel economy and CO2 emissions are substantially improved. The outgoing Gallardo Spyder achieved 10/15 mpg with the stick and 10/16 mpg with the e.gear, but the LP560-4 gets 12/20 with the stick and 13/20 with the e.gear. Impressive numbers for a supercar.
The LP560-4 Spyder’s brakes have been upgraded as well. The standard brake system consists of 14.4-in. vented discs with eight-piston Brembo calipers up front and 14.0-in. vented discs with four-piston calipers at the rear. If that’s not enough, Lamborghini offers a carbon-ceramic brake package consisting of monster 15.0-in. discs up front and 14.0-in. discs at rear.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the Spyder’s roof design. The Gallardo remains a softtop convertible. Its canvas top, available in four colors — black, blue, gray, and beige — opens or closes in just 20 sec, a remarkable contrast to the infamous afterthought top on the Murcielago Spyder. With the top down, the rear glass can be left up to serve as a wind deflector, or it can be folded independently with the top up. Rollover protection is provided via a pair of spring-loaded bars behind the seats that deploy within 250 msec if necessary. According to Lamborghini, the extra flexibility associated with the lack of a fixed roof is compensated for with structural elements within the frame designed to increase rigidity.
Standard features include dual side curtain airbags, dual-zone climate control, leather seats, HID headlights with LED driving lights, and a stereo with a USB input. Optional features include Bluetooth, a navigation system and a rearview camera. Also available are Alcantara-upholstered seats and various carbon trim options. Still no scissor doors though.
Lamborghini couldn’t have picked a more suitable of a place to launch its new drop-top model than Southern California, specifically at the 2008 Los Angeles International Auto Show. With supercar-friendly weather virtually year ’round, it’s little surprise that the area is a huge market for the Raging Bull. Earlier this year, the company announced it would be setting up its North American headquarters in Santa Monica and until recently, Southern California was home to the world’s number-one Lamborghini dealer, the now-closed Lamborghini of Orange County, which accounted for about 10% of Lambo’s global sales annually. Dealer drama aside, the 2009 Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder should start at around $220,000 when it goes on sale sometime next year.